Red Sea RL50 growing algae

[collinnelson9]

Hello I’m running a Red Sea reef led 50 and for some reason it grows algae like no other. My phosphates are .04 ppm nitrates are 5 ppm, calcium 430 ppm, alk 10.5 and pH is 7.9. I’m currently running 50% blue from 12-4 starting at 9 and ramps up till noon and my whites are at 10% they start at 12:45, 10% by 1 and at 5 it ramps down both blue and whites turn off at 7 then moonlight at 10% runs from 7-9. Just wondering what in the heck is going on.

 

[collinnelson9]

Don’t mind the name I made the program when I bleached a hammer last year.

 

[MIke Wood]

i doubt its the light that is causing the algae.

how old is the tank? have you tested for po4 and no3.

 

[collinnelson9]

i doubt its the light that is causing the algae.

how old is the tank? have you tested for po4 and no3.

Phosphates r 0.04 ppm and nitrates are around 5ish I tested twice to make sure but the colors land between 5 and 10

 

[NeutronMan]

New additions to the tank, like rock? This could be leaching nitrates and phosphates, which fuel the algae such that they won’t show up on a test.

How old is the tank?

 

[MIke Wood]

Those seem to be within a good ratio. All though they can be alot higher since the presence of the algae will be masking the true numbers. How old is your tank? Are you running a skimmer?

Phosphates r 0.04 ppm and nitrates are around 5ish I tested twice to make sure but the colors land between 5 and 10

those seem like they are in a good ratio. but the presence of algae can be masking the true values which are probably much higher. how old is your tank? are you running a skimmer? whats the size of your tank and what do you have in terms of herbivores. i went through a huge algae bloom. but i just increased my CUC (i only use trochus snails and a few astrea snails), added a lawnmower blenny and a scopas tank and the tank was algae free in 2 weeks.

 

[collinnelson9]

Those seem to be within a good ratio. All though they can be alot higher since the presence of the algae will be masking the true numbers. How old is your tank? Are you running a skimmer?

those seem like they are in a good ratio. but the presence of algae can be masking the true values which are probably much higher. how old is your tank? are you running a skimmer? whats the size of your tank and what do you have in terms of herbivores. i went through a huge algae bloom. but i just increased my CUC (i only use trochus snails and a few astrea snails), added a lawnmower blenny and a scopas tank and the tank was algae free in 2 weeks.

It has been 2 months since I added the 1st fish so about 3 and a half months total I have 20 pounds of dry rock and 10 pounds of rock from my old tank. I have a tunzee 9004 dc protein skimmer running at 60%. I have a pair of clowns 1 kauderan cardinalfish, and a flame angel. My cuc is 6 trochus and 3 Scarlett hermit crabs. I feed once a day and I feed a quarter of a brick of food a night.

 

[collinnelson9]

Those seem to be within a good ratio. All though they can be alot higher since the presence of the algae will be masking the true numbers. How old is your tank? Are you running a skimmer?

those seem like they are in a good ratio. but the presence of algae can be masking the true values which are probably much higher. how old is your tank? are you running a skimmer? whats the size of your tank and what do you have in terms of herbivores. i went through a huge algae bloom. but i just increased my CUC (i only use trochus snails and a few astrea snails), added a lawnmower blenny and a scopas tank and the tank was algae free in 2 weeks.

I also have a lawnmower blenny a gramma a conch and a tuxedo urchin I still have to move over from my last tank, I’ve been taking it slow. My tank is 40 gallons. Running 2 reef led 50s (overkill, but I hate shadows) an aqua clear 70 job filter. I do 10% weekly water changes using red seas reef pro salt.

 

[NeutronMan]

My thoughts are that this is normal for a new tank. You’re going through the “bad” phase.

 

[collinnelson9]

Those seem to be within a good ratio. All though they can be alot higher since the presence of the algae will be masking the true numbers. How old is your tank? Are you running a skimmer?

those seem like they are in a good ratio. but the presence of algae can be masking the true values which are probably much higher. how old is your tank? are you running a skimmer? whats the size of your tank and what do you have in terms of herbivores. i went through a huge algae bloom. but i just increased my CUC (i only use trochus snails and a few astrea snails), added a lawnmower blenny and a scopas tank and the tank was algae free in 2 weeks.

 

[exnisstech]

I wish my tank was that clean. Really doesn't look bad to me for a young tank

 

[collinnelson9]

My thoughts are that this is normal for a new tank. You’re going through the “bad” phase.

That’s what I was thinking too but I’m my last tank it came and went within a week dosing nothing and just the angel to eat it and I was feeding more when I first started. I think the culprit is the seduction Zoa I added since that’s where it’s the worst which is weird bc my lfs does a superb job keeping there tanks clean.